My Account
Kaka seen in Orewa
Pat Bowden, Orewa (abridged)
I live in Orewa and on August 7 I saw a kaka eating the apple I put on a nail on the fence for the tuis and blackbirds. I also put out sugar water for the tuis. This is the first time I’ve had a kaka – dark red around the collar and under the wings.
Caring Kiwis
Ray Brown, Ōrewa
On June 19 I tripped and fell on the road at the corner of Centreway and Florence St, Ōrewa. A special thank you to all the people who supported me while I lay in the gutter awaiting an ambulance. Just shows to me how caring and helpful Kiwis are.
Romance in Silverdale
Ron Carpenter, San Antonio, Texas (abridged)
I came from Texas on August 4 to meet the Silverdale woman I fell in love with on Facebook. We spent a week together getting to know each other and her family. In that short time I grew to love your land. Although your prices for virtually everything seem exhorbitant, and your large pizzas would be ‘mediums’ in the States, you also don’t have our crime, horrid traffic or impersonal strangers on the street. I am ready to move here when I retire, based on all I’ve seen – if New Zealand will have me.
Drug laws failing
Anthony Blears, Gulf Harbour
Mark Mitchell is firmly opposed to changing our cannabis laws (HM August 7). This means he thinks that criminalising recreational drug users is preferable to treating addiction as a health issue. This means he’s looked at 40 years of failed War on Drugs policies that only benefit gangs, alcohol/tobacco companies and private prison operators, and decided they are a smart way forward. I’m not saying cannabis is a miracle drug – like all drugs it has negative effects, but these are nothing compared to the effects of the drug laws themselves. The ‘get tough on drugs’ crowd have their heads in the sand if they think carrying on with these highly detrimental laws have any benefit. Most importantly, they have done nothing to reduce supply and demand. Legalise, regulate, tax, and put the money into harm reduction, instead of funding gangs.
Whangaparaoa College student Sophie Willis, aged 13, sent in her entry in the YRE Litter Less competition. “I’m from Arkles Bay, and, as more and more people litter, this is what I imagine it might turn out like in the future. I want things to change before my beach and others around New Zealand turn out like this. I’m worried for my generation, and many more to come,” Sophie says.Here is her entry: “This photo represents how our future is not going to be very promising if we do not change our ways. I have started to see more and more plastic on our local beaches and if we as a community carry on this path we will have no future. The litter accumulated on the beaches will eventually get washed away by the tide. This will expose innocent sea life to harm by fault of our pollution. We need to remember that we share this planet, and what we do affects other forms of life.” The YRE Litter Less competition is open to students aged 11-18 who are enrolled at a school or Youth Group that has registered with Keep New Zealand Beautiful.
Fiona Ehn won the Premier prize, and $1000, at this year’s Estuary Arts members merit awards with this work, called Cruising on my Vespa. Judge Amber Emm described it as “a fantastic fun piece with a good choice of colour background to give impact to the subject and complemented with interesting textures”. The awards were presented on August 2 and all the works entered are on display at Estuary Arts Centre in Orewa until September 1.
A jacket covered in colourful balls has been a labour of love for Hatfields Beach resident Victoria Wigzell. Victoria works for hospice in Red Beach and is a graphic designer by trade, so it made sense for her to enter a piece in hospice’s fundraising Catwalk Arts show. It’s her first foray into making a garment. When finished, Victoria will model the piece, which will be completely covered in more than 3000 pompoms. Hospice’s Catwalk Arts wearable arts show is on at Mahurangi College on August 24, 1.30pm and 6.15pm. Tickets: www.harbourhospice.org.nz or at the door.
